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You don't have to be a chocolatier to know that chocolate bar colors come in all different shades — dark, milk, white, and more. However, as customers expect a certain hue when they order dark vs. milk chocolate, chocolate manufacturers should take the time to ensure the color is just right.

High-quality water is essential for health and safety, but it can be challenging to determine its quality. Many of the particles in water are microscopic and should be removed for health compliance and hygiene reasons, such as nitrates and arsenic. Customers rightly equate water clarity with water quality, preferring clear, pure water.

Some people would rather have minerals in their water to prevent it from tasting flat, so you may have to add these in if they aren't already present. When you're measuring water color, striking that balance between turbidity and quality is critical.

Determine the Turbidity in Water

Turbidity is an umbrella term for a lack of transparency in water. When water appears unclear, tiny particles are present — these particles reflect light to your eye or elsewhere, reducing clarity. The less turbidity in water, the more light can penetrate it, giving it a clear appearance. It's important to note that some turbidity occurs naturally, and some minerals can be beneficial for taste. To maintain color consistency, you should measure the color of water throughout the production process.

Cola is one of the most popular drinks in the world, yet few people know where its flavor comes from, save for some research. Cola's color is different from many other soda colors and may change when you add or remove some ingredients. To ensure consistency and quality in your cola batches, it's important to know these five things:

A spectrophotometer is the best way to determine the color of fruit juices, as it measures color similar to how the human eye works. It's best to maximize objectivity by quantifying color through the use of industry standard color scales. When you measure the color of a juice using a spectrophotometer, the result is expressed in percentage or number form, eliminating room for error and eye fatigue from subjective methods.

Measure Fruit Juices Using the Right Equipment

Fruit juices can vary in opacity, meaning light won't travel through various beverages the same way. Use a reflectance spectrophotometer to measure opaque liquids like guava or orange juice accurately and employ a reflectance or transmittance spectrophotometer for translucent beverages like apple juice. Selecting the right tools helps you produce accurate results.

Spectrophotometry vs. Spectroscopy

Spectrophotometry and spectroscopy are undoubtedly similar words — however, these terms are not interchangeable. While spectrophotometry and spectroscopy deal with related concepts, they focus on different scientific interactions and outcomes to gain varying insights.

Through this guide, you’ll learn about the difference between spectrophotometry and spectroscopy, their basic definitions and the instruments used in each science.

What Is Spectrophotometry?

Spectrophotometry operates on the principle that every chemical compound absorbs, reflects or transmits light over a specific wavelength spectrum. You can use this technique to determine the amount of light a chemical substance absorbs by measuring the intensity of the light as a beam passes through the sample.

The science of spectrophotometry allows for qualitative and quantitative analysis and is widely used across various industries, including chemistry, physics, biochemistry, biology and clinical studies.

Accurately measuring the color of citrus juice is a balancing act. You must meet the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) standards and produce appealing citrus juices that catch your customers' eyes. For the most accurate results, measure opaque liquids with reflectance spectrophotometers and translucent beverages with reflectance or transmission spectrophotometers.

Ensure the Color of Your Citrus Beverages Appeals to Consumers

Consumers measure the quality of your citrus juice by its color, and with good reason. Natural compounds in citrus fruits give them their unique colors. The carotenoids in orange juice give it its zesty, orange color, while lycopene adds a pink, reddish hue to grapefruit juice. The more of these compounds are in your juice, the brighter in color the product will be, which heightens quality perception.

1. Color Measurement Best Practices Exist for Quality Control

The tomato grading process holds tomatoes and tomato products to specific standards. This system also helps set the price for these goods and influences how producers store, ship, package, and market them. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) uses color classification when grading tomatoes at different ripening stages. This objective scoring system determines tomato maturity and quality. It’s such a strong indicator of quality that 30 of the 100 grading points are attributed solely to the color.

2. Tomato Juice Color Affects Consumer Perceptions

Food color influences our perception of taste and quality. People process visual information first when they eat or drink. In addition to enhancing the experience of enjoying the product, color affects people’s perceptions before purchasing. Consistency in your tomato juice color creates a sense of confidence in your customers. This quality also helps build brand trust and support your marketing message, boosting sales and creating loyal customers.

3. Spectrophotometers Help You Determine Lycopene Content

Lycopene is the chemical that gives tomatoes their vibrant red color. An accurate lycopene measurement can quantify the health benefits of your tomato products. Consistent lycopene content indicates a ripe, red tomato and reveals that the color and grade of the product are also uniform.

The ColorFlex L2 Tomato spectrophotometer can determine the lycopene content in tomatoes. The instrument accomplishes this task by illuminating the sample with a xenon flash lamp and providing concrete numerical results.

4. You Can Measure Tomato Juice Color in Three Easy Steps

Consistency, reliability, and objectivity are critical when measuring the color of your tomato juice. With a state-of-the-art spectrophotometer, you can meet these requirements with every measurement. The ColorFlex L2 Tomato condenses the process into three simple steps:

1. Pour some product into the sample cup.
2. Click the cup into the open sensor port to stabilize it.
3. Press the “read” button.

Within four seconds, you’ll have all the information you need to identify and correct discrepancies, strengthening consumer perceptions and elevating your brand with consistently high quality.

5. Choosing the Best Instrument Is Vital for Accurate Measurements

Measuring the color of your tomato juice is critical to indicate consistency, quality, and flavor. The ColorFlex-Tomato measures color in a way that accounts for the way humans see color. This portable spectrophotometer is the ideal choice for testing in the field, and it can also measure non-tomato-based products.